Addicted to Media

TV Review: Merlin – “Aithusa”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:22:52 PST

I love BBC Merlin, there is no denying that and episodes like “Aithusa” remind me why. Merlin of legend is such a powerful, formidable and magical character and there is a point in this episode where you are absolutely convinced of that. “Aithusa” is where dragon lore, destiny and Merlin’s coming of age collide and it is one of my favourite episodes of all time.

“Aithusa” opens with criminal Julius Borden (James Callis) entering into a Druid camp and helping himself to one part of the Triskelion of Askanar. Stealing from druids? Now surely that can’t be a good idea! He needs one last piece to complete the Triskelion and he sips into Camelot with the hopes of retrieving it.

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It turns out that Borden is a former pupil of Gaius although Gaius is certainly less than pleased to see him. It seems that Borden weaves chaos wherever he goes and is more than happy to leave people in the lurch in the process.

But Borden has some news that piques Merlin’s interest. If he can complete the Triskelion of Askanar, he can enter Askanar’s tomb and gain access to the last dragon’s egg on earth. Oh Merlin, what could be more alluring than finding the last remaining dragon’s egg?

In spite of Gaius’s misgivings, Merlin wants to help Kilgharrah to save his kind and he rushes to summon the Great Dragon. Kilgharrah leaves no doubt as to what he requires Merlin to do.

Kilgharrah: “Merlin, you are a Dragon Lord. It is a gift passed down from your father. He gave up everything in his life to save me. What do you think he would say? The egg harbours the last of my kind. I beg you Merlin, in your father’s name, promise me you will do everything in your power to rescue it.”

Merlin: “You have my promise”.

Unsurprisingly, Merlin decides to help Borden gain access to the treasure in the vaults where Borden completes the Triskelion and duly knocks Merlin out before escaping. When King Arthur discovers a theft from his vaults, he wants to know hat was stolen. Gaius tells him of Askanar and the dragons egg, and plans are immediately made to destroy the egg.

How painful must it be for Merlin, the last Dragon Lord, to hear them talking of dragons as the enemy, as if Uther did the right thing by destroying these creatures?

Agravaine: “A dragon’s egg could live for a thousand years. Even today, it could still hatch and another dragon could be born into this world”.

Arthur: “So all my father’s work to rid the world of these monsters would be undone”.

Agravaine: “That must be our fear”

King Arthur, Merlin and the knights of Camelot embark on a quest to track Borden down and to reach the tomb of Askanar where they will destroy the dragon’s egg.

One evening, Merlin hears his name Emrys carrying on the wind and he enters the forest to meet Iseldir (Peter Sellers), the leader of the Druids. Iseldir impresses upon Merlin that the Druids are not his enemy and he gives Merlin valuable advice on how to reach the tomb.

Iseldir: “Only when the way ahead seems impossible, will you have found it”.

And so it is that they track Borden through a waterfall and out on to a plane where they approach the imposing and ancient tomb of Askanar. There is so much to like about this episode in terms of scenery, forestry and, of course, the waterfall. I love it when they film on location and BBC Merlin Filming Locations suspect this one was filmed in Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean.

Warning: Spoiler ahead. Do not read if you have not watched the end of “Aithusa”

Borden attacks the party, shooting an arrow in to poor Percival’s leg. They camp down for the night but Borden poisons their food, leaving Merlin to heal the party. With the rest of the party unconscious, Merlin follows Borden into the tomb, despite knowing that it is a trap.

The scene with Merlin and Borden is near perfect and Merlin finally asserts the full extent of his power and might.

Borden: “With this dragon at our command, we will live like kings. We will have the freedom and power to do as we wish”

Merlin (shouting): “Dragons cannot be used like that! They must be left unshackled, free to roam the earth”.

Borden calls Merlin’s existence meaningless but we feel the power of the Dragon Lord.

Merlin: “Dragons are magical creatures, they belong to no man! They are for the benefit of all”.

Borden: “What do you know, you are but a serving boy”

Merlin: “I am the last Dragon Lord and I am warning you. Leave this egg alone”.

BBC Merlin is often light and humorous but there is no denying that Merlin is the true hero of the show. He might have resisted his destiny in the first seasons of the show, feeling overwhelmed at times during the previous season, but Merlin has finally come of age. He knows who he is and he has finally accepted the full weight of his destiny.

Colin Morgan absolutely owns this role right now, easily slipping into the dry and often sardonic role that Merlin is adopting. The heart breaking reality is that the closer Merlin comes to classic Arthurian legend, the closer we come to the end. I know that Merlin has been renewed for a fifth season but I wonder if that will be the last. All of this is what I think about when I watch Colin Morgan acting because it makes me think about what a bright future he has ahead of him.

If I loved the scene with Borden and Merlin, where Merlin finally asserts himself and steps up to his destiny, then words fail me in the final scene with Kilgharrah. I could watch that scene over and over again.

Merlin: “When will it hatch?”

Kilgharrah: “Young dragons were called into the world by the Dragon Lords. Only they had the power to summon them from the egg. As the last Dragon Lord, this solemn duty falls to you, Merlin”

Merlin: “How do I summon it?”

Kilgharrah: “You must give the dragon a name”

Merlin (after pausing for a moment to think): “Aithusa”

A white dragon named Aithusa, so named after the light of the sun.

Ducky Offers Two Free Singles for Download From The Whether EP

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:53:32 PST

I have a confession to make. I’ve become a cynic, living in the perpetual doubt that I will ever find an artist that truly moves me. This fatalistic sense of bitterness especially applies to electronic music which tends to edge toward obscurity in the quest for ambience or edginess.

In spite of this admittedly self-defeating attitude, my interest was piqued when I heard of Ducky (aka Morgan Neiman) and her self-described brand of coke-binge space pop. I wasn’t sure what “coke-binge space pop” could possibly sound like so I headed off to YouTube to watch the video for Ducky’s introductory single “Killing Time”, which was produced by Dingo Dog and directed by Waverly Mandel.

I was immediately impressed by the clarity and rich timbre of Ducky’s voice and I really enjoyed this witty video too. It is a lot of fun!

I then listened to “Like Rain” with its surreal, disjointed beats and ethereal vocals and I found the tracks “Your Ever After” and “Dust” on Ducky’s previous releases Killing Time / Your Ever After and The Glamorous Gutter EP. I was finally getting a clear idea of what Ducky was all about (and what coke-binge space pop might actually be). With her slick production and versatility, Ducky is is surely on the verge of stratospheric success.

The San Franciscan-born artist has been making music since she was 13, playing alongside such artists as Japanther, Ninjasonik, and Roxy Cottontail. She left school at 16 to attend NYU’s Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music.

She is releasing The Whether EP on February 21, 2012 and is offering two free downloads to mark the release.

“Killing Time” (mp3)*

“Like Rain” (mp3)*

You can catch up with Ducky on Twitter, Tumblr and her website, Ducky Music.

* This is a legal download provided by the artist to post and share. If there is any question of an infringement of copyright, please contact me at TheMediaAddict at gmail dot com and I will remove links immediately.

Article first published as Ducky Offers Free Download of "Killing Time" and "Like Rain" on Blogcritics.

TV Review: Merlin – “The Wicked Day”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:24:38 PST

It is a wicked day indeed and it is the the end of an era as everything changes in Camelot.

It would be impossible to review this episode without revealing massive spoilers so I will begin by suggesting that if you have not yet seen “The Wicked Day” or, indeed, if you have not yet begun watching season 4 of BBC Merlin, then stop reading here. There is nothing in this post that will be a surprise if you are familiar with Arthurian legend but this is a significant point in the TV show nonetheless.

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There is great excitement in Camelot as preparations are underway for Arthur’s birthday feast and the circus rolls in to town. But all is not well with this circus as The Gleeman (Phil Davis) has been sent by none other than King Odin to avenge his son’s death at Arthur’s hands.

There is a wonderful scene where Uther seems lucid for the first time since the season began and he insists that he will attend Arthur’s birthday feast, stating that he would never miss an occassion to celebrate the anniversary of his son’s birth.

During the birthday festivities, Arthur is challenged by The Gleeman to take part in a knife throwing challenge. He can’t exactly refuse in front of all of these people, can he? The challenge goes smoothly without Merlin having to resort to magic to save Arthur but little do they know that the apple he held in his mouth (and subsequently ate) is laced with sedative.

Arthur soon begins to feel weak and is attacked in his father’s chambers by The Gleeman. Uther leaps into action to protect his son and for a fleeting moment, we wonder whether the great Uther is finally back to his old self.

Alas, it is not to be. As Uther delivers the death blow to The Gleeman, the villain manages to stab him in the stomach and Uther becomes very ill.

In an incredible sequence in which the whole of Camelot stands vigil for the King, Arthur somehow comes to the realisation that only magic can save his father and he asks Gaius to summon a sorcerer. Merlin and Gaius realise that this is their one chance to finally show to Arthur that magic can be used for good, that it need not be feared and reviled. Merlin takes Arthur in to the woods and takes the aging potion to become Emrys.

The plan is thwarted though when Morgana shows that she is evil incarnate as she plots with Lord Agravaine to enchant a necklace, warding Uther against the efforts of any magical healing and accelerating his death in the face of such attempts.

The inevitable happens and Merlin’s attempts to magically heal Uther are unsuccessful. The King is dead!

While Merlin blames himself for Uther’s death, Arthur comes to the conclusion that he was wrong about magic, that he was too arrogant and that his arrogance caused his father his life. Now he has lost both his parents to magic; it is pure evil and he will never forget that.

“The Wicked Day” is not my favourite Merlin episode by far. It is not as dark as the previous two episodes which might seem strange considering the subject matter. I think it must have been difficult to balance the death of King Uther (and the subsequent departure of a beloved cast member in Anthony Head) with the fact that this is, after all, primarily a children’s show.

Thus, the antics of the circus at the beginning of the episode are a necessary diversion, as is the hilarity that the appearance of Merlin’s 80-year-old alter ego always brings.

Uther’s death felt overshadowed somewhat by the strong reactions of both Arthur and Merlin and by Arthur’s coronation. I simply felt that I was never given time to grieve this fabulous character.

Despite faltering somewhat in the execution, this is a necessary episode as Arthur becomes King and begins his journey to fulfil his destiny.

Book Review and Interview: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:26:00 PST

In the land of the Fifteen Realms, healers are not afforded the respect that you would imagine. Instead, they are feared and reviled, blamed for the devastating plague that swept through the realms, leaving devastation in its wake. When 20-year-old Avry of Kazan uses her magic to heal a dying child, she knows that she faces certain death if caught but she places a higher premium on the young and innocent life that she is saving.

It is no surprise then that in these desperate times the child's parents turn Avry in and she is scheduled to die at dawn. In a dramatic sequence, Avry is rescued from her prison cell by the powerful yet mysterious Kerrick who wishes to use Avry's healing powers to save the dying prince Ryne. Not only is Ryne the man believed to have unleashed the plague unto the realms in the first place, saving him will undoubtedly kill Avry, placing her in an almost impossible situation.

Touch of Power is the intriguing new fantasy novel by prolific young adult author Maria V. Snyder. It is the first book in a trilogy and as you can see from the interview below, Maria is already working on a sequel. It is a high fantasy novel set in a medieval-type world but it is will appeal to fans of urban or low fantasy too.

I enjoyed every minute of this novel and could not put it down. Much of Touch of Power takes place in small forests and villages as Avry, Kerrick and his men make their way to through the Fifteen Realms, across the Nine Mountains to where Ryne is located. In their quest, they must avoid carnivorous plants, man-eating beasts, blood-thirst mercenaries and undead warriors.

All the while, Avry locates her long-lost sister and it isn’t the tearful reunion you’d expect. She learns more about her healing power and about the people that trained and worked with her. Mostly, she must learn to trust these men, this band of fighters who will kill her if she does not help them.

It is a long time since I have been completely immersed in a fantasy novel, to the extent that I lived and breathed a world, but that is certainly true of Touch of Power. In fact, the last time I was so impressed by a book in this genre was when I read Maria V. Snyder’s Poison Study. In many ways, this novel is similar to Poison Study in that it has a strong, magical protagonist and is set in lands torn apart by war, strife or political wrangling. There is enough here though to set Touch of Power apart from Maria’s former books and in fact, I’d recommend all of them.

I especially enjoyed the concept of healing in this story and the various source of magic. I loved Kerrick’s abilities but won’t reveal too much for fear of spoilers. The Death and Peace Lilies (the aforementioned carnivorous plants) were an incredibly interesting idea, as was their part in the story. I liked both the protagonists Avry and Kerrick, which makes a change from others novels I’ve read recently where I simply wished one of them would perish.

I would recommend this book to all lovers of fantasy romance or young adult fiction, including fans of the Harry Potter series, the Vampire Academy series, The Old Kingdom Series or The Twilight Saga.

I give Touch of Power five out of five stars.

Check out the official Touch of Power website. Touch of Power is a Mira Ink book.

Buy Touch of Power at Amazon.co.uk ¦ Amazon.com

Buy Poison Study at Amazon.co.uk ¦ Amazon.com

I’d like to thank Maria V. Snyder for taking the time to answer six of my questions. Her answers were really brilliant. At the bottom of the post, you can see an animated book trailer.

Touch of Power is a great title and I thought it was very subtle within the context of the book. Are you able to tell us the titles of the next two books in the series and what they will be about?

I can't take any credit for the titles. We, as in me, my editor, my agent and a number of others at the publisher came up with dozens of titles that were all rejected for one reason or another. Touch of Power was suggested by my editor (a hybrid of a couple others) and she added Scent of Magic and Taste of Death as the next two books to seal the deal. After two months of emailing, we all agreed that it was a perfect trio of titles.

I'm working on Scent of Magic now and it's focusing on the war between Estrid and Tohon, while Avry seeks to reconnect with her sister. I've no idea what Taste of Death will be about until I finish SOM. I'm not a planner, but a seat of the pants writer, discovering as I go.

What was your favourite chapter in Touch of Power to write? And your least favourite or most difficult?

The first and last chapters tend to be my favourites. The first because it's a new beginning and I'm excited about the story and just want to dive right in. The last because, by that time, I'm so sick of the story and just want to write my two favourite words, “the end!” And because of the feelings of satisfaction and relief of having finished another novel.

The most challenging aspect to write was the rumors about the plague. I needed there to be a misunderstanding between Kerrick and Avry about the plague, and it was hard to keep it going and make it logical at the same time. I'm a stickler for logic!

One of my favourites aspects about your books is that you touch on serious issues in your books including war, massacres, sexual assault, slavery and political upheaval within the context of your stories. Are there any topics that you haven't covered yet that you would like to cover in future books? What story would you like to tell?

I don't focus on issues when I'm writing. I focus on the characters, their situation, and their motives and desires. Those issues/topics develop as I write the story so I never plan on them. After the healer series, I don't know what I'll write next :)

Following on from the previous question, what inspires you to write about those topics? Do you conduct a lot of research beforehand?

I think these topics bubble up from my unconscious. I'm concerned about the environment and about over-population and wars so these will always creep into my writing. I don't think anyone in this world should go hungry and so Yelena helps Fisk, a beggar boy and Avry gives all her money to a street rat. I don't conduct any research prior to writing. Since I discover the story as I write, I'll mark places where I need to do some research and then continue with the story. Once I'm done, I'll do the research and then fill in the blanks when I revise (or correct errors).

Do you find that your characters gain a life of their own, dragging you along for the ride and practically writing the story for you? Or do you find that you have to coax the stories out of them?

It depends on the character. Some decide they're not going to follow any of my preconceived notions and do their own thing, while others are happy to play along. And some are down right difficult. Devlen in the Glass books would not cooperate at all. He caused me the most trouble and I had a terrible bout of writer's block because of him!

Out of all of your books, who is your favourite character and why? And your least favourite?

Janco from my Study and Glass books – no doubt! He’s just a fun, quirky character that goes off on unusual tangents and I love writing about him.

Finn and Walsh from the Glass books are my least favourite characters. They do despicable things and are very controlling and manipulative.

TV Review: BBC Sherlock – “The Reichenbach Fall”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:48:06 PST

Before I begin this review, I feel that I should preface it with a disclaimer of sorts. I need to be upfront with the fact that I really didn't enjoy the final third of the episode. Which is not to say that it wasn't good, because it really was. Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and Andrew Scott are all exceptional actors and they gave first-class performances overall.

My difficulty with the last half an hour of "The Reichenbach Fall" was a personal one. Television is my guilty pleasure, the place I disappear to when I need to get away from the world, and I just don't like it when really crappy things happen to my favourite characters in my favourite shows. It makes me think that the writers hate them and that makes me pretty unhappy because I spend a lot of time loving the characters they create.

I wonder why they decided to recreate a story like "The Final Problem", the Arthur Conan Doyle short story upon which this episode is based, in the first place. When it was published in 1893, many people were unhappy with the way it ended. In fact, the public backlash against the story was so severe that Doyle was forced to take a u-turn somewhat and repair the damage in future stories.

Granted, the ending was managed slightly differently in this episode and being familiar with the original story, I knew exactly where the episode was going, but that didn’t make me like it.

So after that not-as-brief-as-I-had-intended preface, let us move on to “The Reichenbach Fall”. My review will vaguely correspond to the three phases of Jim Moriarty.

From the BBC Sherlock website:

James Moriarty possesses the greatest criminal mind that the world has ever seen. Sherlock and John knew he wouldn't stay hidden for long. But even they never guessed the sheer scale and audacity of the crime that would propel Moriarty back into the headlines. The crime of the century.

Sherlock and John lock horns with their old enemy in one final problem that tests loyalty and courage to their very limits. Sherlock must fight for his reputation, his sanity and his life. But is he all he claims to be?

James Moriarty (Andrew Scott) has been deliciously evil. In a series of coordinated attacks, he crashes through the security systems of Pentonville Prison, the Bank of England and the Tower of London, landing up on a throne wearing the Crown Jewels.

Meanwhile, Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) has been named the Reichenbach Hero, following a particularly successful case, and he has been gifted with the most useful gifts of all: diamond cufflinks (his shirts are buttoned), a tie pin (he doesn't wear them) and a deer hunter cap (so that he can look more like himself).

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Moriarty is arrested following his daring stunt and the trial is to take place at the Old Bailey with Holmes as a key witness. At the courts, Holmes runs into journalist Kitty Riley (Katherine Parkinson, Doc Martin). Sherlock takes an instant dislike to Kitty, refusing to work with her in any journalistic sense and telling her, “you repel me”. I have to be honest, I don’t think that was a good idea.

The court case against Moriarty seems to go exceptionally well which is no surprise seeing that Moriarty is employing no defence at all. Sherlock realises that this was all part of Moriarty's plan, that he wanted to be caught and, indeed, might even want to land up in prison.

Sherlock: "James Moriarty isn't a man at all. He is a spider"

Of course, Sherlock can't help showing off, much to Watson's dismay. It seems the bad omens were ringing early in this episode.

Watson: "Do you think you can survive for just two minutes without showing off?"
Sherlock: "No"

Of course, it is always a mistake to underestimate the consultant criminal James Moriarty, the most dangerous criminal of all time and they do underestimate him. It seems Moriarty is more of a spider than Sherlock could have ever imagined and wonder of wonders, he is acquitted!

In a chilling exchange on the day of the acquittal, Moriarty visits Sherlock in his flat at 221B Baker Street.

Moriarty: "I want to solve the problem, our problem. The Final Problem. It’s gonna start really soon Sherlock: The Fall. But don’t be scared. Falling’s like flying except there is a more permanent destination"
Sherlock (standing up): "I never liked riddles"
Moriarty: "Learn to. Because I owe you a fall, Sherlock. I owe you.

So far, so good then. Moriarty is at his terrifying best and I figured that the game was most certainly on.

The next part of the episode sees Sherlock investigating a particularly violent and gruesome kidnapping case, the kind of crime that only someone like Moriarty could dream up.

There is a hilarious sequence in the Diogenes Club (a posh London men’s club that requires a Franciscan level of silence) where Watson goes to visit Mycroft Holmes (Mark Gatiss) and there is also some levity when Sherlock and Watson visit Molly Hooper (Loo Brealey) at St Barts for assistance on the kidnapping case. You might remember that Molly famously dated Moriarty in the first season.

Sherlock: "For the sake of law and order, I suggest you avoid all attempts at a future relationship, Molly"

But the darkness is coming and so is the fall. It seems that Sherlock solves the crime a little too easily and Lestrade's colleagues are beginning to become ever more suspicious of the "great" Sherlock Holmes. As is his wont, Sherlock hits out at Watson and launches in to a taxi cab alone, only to be ambushed by Moriarty. It was the turning point in the episode for me, the point at which I started to feel uncomfortable and was no longer enjoying myself. Moriarty certainly isn't delicious any more, he is horrible!

There is a lot that happens in the final third of the episode. Sherlock is arrested on charges of abduction and kidnapping, Watson punches the Chief Superintendent of the police (my hero!) and Sherlock and Watson escape, holding hands! They land up somehow at Kitty Riley's house and it was there that I realised that James Moriarty is off-the-charts, freaking psychotic.

All of this leads to the great showdown between Holmes and Moriarty and a terrible, terrible ending.

Like I said in the first paragraph, I didn't like the last thirty minutes of this episode. I never like those sequences when the general public turns against a protogonist, especially one so honourable and heroic.

The fact that it made me so uncomfortable means that I must give credit to writer Steve Thompson (Doctor Who, "The Curse of the Black Spot"). Moriarty was brilliantly written and portrayed by Andrew Scott and the dialogue in the episode was both hilarious and chilling at times.

And it wasn't like I didn't know what was going to happen the minute I learned of the title of the episode and realised which story it was based on. I really was not surprised when Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss came out yesterday and confirmed that there would be a third season, reminding us that seasons 2 and 3 had been commissioned together.

Warning: Spoiler ahead. Do not read if you have not watched the end of "The Reichenbach Fall"

However, I must pull the reality card and wonder how much the writers of the show must hate Dr John Watson to make a man, already confirmed to be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, witness the horrific death of his best friend? No matter how faked Sherlock's death was (all organised with the help of the trusted Molly Hooper), and no matter how alive he turned out to be (yay!), Watson would have experienced incredible trauma following the event. Not nice writers, not nice at all.

Promo photos for BBC’s Sherlock – “The Reichenbach Fall”

TV Review: Merlin – “The Darkest Hour, Part 2”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:53:27 PST

In the closing moments of “The Darkest Hour, Part 1”, Merlin made the ultimate sacrifice and pushed Arthur out of the path of the oncoming Dorocha. I knew in that moment that Merlin would surely survive, it was the first episode of the fourth season after all, but it still broke my heart to see him frozen and lifeless. This was a man willing to sacrifice his own life to save that of Arthur and ensure the salvation of Camelot.

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As Arthur reconciles himself to the fact that he will have to sacrifice his own life to close the veil between the worlds, Lancelot (Santiago Cabrera, Heroes) agrees to take Merlin back to Camelot through the Valley of the Fallen Kings. Filmed on location in Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean, there is beautiful scenery in this scene as they ride through the forest, surrounded by the statues of fallen kings. It is a poignant reminder that Merlin’s sacrifice has elevated him to the status of a king.

Lancelot stops along the way, resting beside a stream. As Merlin draws strength and magic from the stream, Lancelot encounters the Vilia, spirits of the brooks and streams. One of them speaks to him, saying that the tear in the veil has upset the balance of the world and that this state cannot be allowed to continue. She tells Lancelot that Arthur will need both their help and that Merlin is stronger than he thinks.

Vilia: “The young warlock has great power and a future that has been written since the dawn of time.”

Arthur and his men enter a system of tunnels to escape the Dorocha but encounter the disgusting and vile Wilddeoren instead. These slobbering, slimy, giant blind rats are just horrible but the animatronics and special effects are incredible!

Back in Camelot, Guinevere (Angel Coulby) comes head to head with Agravaine and shows that she certainly has the mettle to be queen of Camelot and partner to Arthur. Unfortunately, that puts her on Agravaine’s radar and once again, Morgana shows the depth of her treachery when she plots with Agravaine for Guinevere’s demise.

Arthur, Merlin and the Knights of Camelot face their biggest challenge yet but I have to say, this slow moving episode is almost excruciating at times and the tension is unbearable.

There is much more focus on Arthur’s brave and valiant knights in episode. There are the normal moments of hilarity with Gawain mostly being the brunt of the jokes but each of them proves their worth throughout the episode (and the rest of the series). Lancelot talks to Merlin of the inexplicable pull to honour and the vow that he made to keep Guinevere safe.

It is easy to forget sometimes that although Lancelot is open to magic, there are things he would never have seen before or perhaps does not know. Like the fact that Merlin is a Dragonlord, able to command and summon Kilgharrah, the Great Dragon.

The scene with the Great Dragon, Merlin and Lancelot is perhaps my favourite Merlin scene of all time.

Kilgharrah: Who is your friend?
Lancelot: I'm Lancelot.
Kilgharrah: Of course. Sir Lancelot, the bravest and most noble of them all.
Lancelot: I'm not sure that's true.
Kilgharrah: We shall see.

Kilgharrah (voice John Hurt) tells them that it is the Cailleach to the spirit world that demands the sacrifice, not the spirit world itself. What follows is an incredible exchange when Kilgharrah remarks at how far Merlin has come and Merlin acknowledges that he learned it all from the dragon.

Kilgharrah: From the moment I met you, I saw something that was invisible. Now it is there for all to see.
Merlin: All of what you see, old friend, is what you taught me.
Kilgharrah: It will be an empty world without you, young warlock.

One thing I noticed in this episode is that Colin Morgan’s dialogue is exceptional. It makes me wonder how much freedom he has to contribute to his lines because he absolutely owns this role.

The Knights of Camelot arrive at the Isle of the Blessed and fall victim to a Wyvern attack. As the Cailleach claims her sacrifice, in the shock ending of the series so far, we lose one of the most valiant, brave and upstanding characters of all. There is simply so mature way to respond to the ending, except to mirror Merlin’s own cries of “No!”

Book Review: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:38:23 PST

Meghan Chase should be turning seventeen in twenty-four hours time but things are a little complicated. One year ago, on her birthday, her brother Ethan disappeared and an evil, violent changeling was left in his place. Meghan learned that he had been snatched by faeries and she ventured into Nevernever, the land of the Fey, in order to save him.

What she discovered was the stuff of nightmares, a dark and sinister place full of malevolent and calculating Fey. She also discovered that she was the daughter of Oberon, king of the Summer Court.

In the space of twelve months, Meghan has fought and defeated the Iron King Machina; rescued her brother; become indebted to the Winter prince Ash and then fallen in love with him; discovered and then forgotten her long-last human father; reclaimed the stolen Spectre of Seasons, thus preventing war between the Summer and Winter Courts; and angered the Summer King sufficiently for him to ban her from Nevernever.

Of course, it doesn't take much to anger Fey royalty, and Ash too has been banned from Nevernever by his queen and mother, Mab of the Winter Court.

So technically, Meghan won't be turning seventeen because time moves differently in the Nevernever and Fey don't age. The Iron Queen begins with the promise of peace and normality for Meghan and Ash as, banished from Nevernever, they have no option but to return to Meghan's home and pursue life in the normal realm.

I have to admit, I was quite looking forward to seeing how faery prince Ash adjusted to high school and teenagers but it was not to be because no sooner had they arrived at Meghan's home, were they attacked by spider hags sent by the false king of the Iron Realm. Realising that she will never see peace until the Iron King is defeated, Meghan decides to fight him once and for all.

The Iron Queen sees Meghan return to Nevernever to engage in the ultimate battle for Faery. The creeping iron and resulting death of Faery, the impending battle, and the sense of doom were beautifully captured as was the fear, bravery and grim determination of the faery soldiers. As Meghan, Ash and Puck enter the Iron Realm, we meet The Clockmaker and the introduction of time into the timeless realm. One of the most interesting aspects of the Iron Fey series has always been the steam punk appeal and The Iron Queen certainly didn’t disappoint.

The Iron Queen consumed me and the total battle at the end of the book was on par with the battles of Hogwarts and Narnia. I simply could not put the book down and am happy to say that I was completely taken surprise by the ending. Thank goodness next and final book in the series, The Iron Knight, is already available as I would not want to wait to continue the story!

I would recommend The Iron Queen and the whole Iron Fey series to all fans of young adult fantasy fiction, especially fans of Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy or Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. The Iron Queen is published in the UK by Mira Ink.

I give The Iron Queen four-and-a-half stars out of five.

The Iron Queen is the third book in Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series.

Buy The Iron King (book 1) from Amazon.co.uk ¦ Amazon.com

Buy The Iron Daughter (book 2) from Amazon.co.uk ¦ Amazon.com

Buy The Iron Queen (book 3) from Amazon.co.uk ¦ Amazon.com

Article first published as Book Review: The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa on Blogcritics.

A copy of this book was provided to me for the purposes of this review and all opinions contain herein are my own. This review contains affiliate links.

TV Review: Sherlock – “The Hounds of Baskerville”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:03:48 PST

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman return as Holmes and Watson perhaps the most famous of Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, “The Hounds of Baskerville”. Written by Mark Gatiss, this modern reimagining of the stories takes us out of London and into Exeter and the moors of Dartmoor.

From the BBC Sherlock website:

Something terrible has happened to Henry Knight; Sherlock and John investigate the truth about the monstrous creature which apparently killed their client's father. A hound from hell? What seems like fantasy in Baker Street is a very different prospect in the ultra-secret army base that looms over Dartmoor.

Holmes is going spare with boredom, craving cigarettes and waiting for a decent case to arrive. In short, he is an absolute pleasure to be around. After the disappearance of Bluebell the glow-in-the-dark rabbit fails to pique his interest, Henry Knight (Russell Tovey, Being Human) walks in with tales of a monstrous hound and death on the moors. Holmes dismisses him initially until Henry grabs his attention, shouting, “Mr Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound”. That gets Sherlock’s attention for why would Henry use such an out-dated term? Naturally, his reasoning is as clear as mud to Watson and Henry is equally confused. When Henry finally asks whether Sherlock is taking the case, he replies:

“Twenty year old disappearance? A monstrous hound? I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Holmes and Watson travel to Dartmoor to visit the moors and they soon gain access to the secure Baskerville military facility using Mycroft’s stolen access card. What follows is a great sequence as Holmes and Watson tour the facility, racing against the clock as Mycroft’s ‘visit’ is flagged and questioned. I loved Captain John Watson suddenly pulling rank and ordering the corporal around. Apart from the comedic value, it reminds us of Watson’s roots in the army and that he was once very senior before he became Holmes’s sidekick. (Tangent: of course, I believe that is all Sherlock’s perception because I honestly believe it is Watson who is the true hero of the Sherlock Holmes canon).

While in the facility, Holmes and Watson meet the friendly and helpful Dr Frankland (Clive Mantle) and the sinister Dr Stapleton (Amelia Bullmore, Scott & Bailey). My, how perceptions can be deceiving! It doesn’t take Sherlock long to figure out that Dr Stapleton is none other than the owner of the missing fluorescent rabbit and he quickly connects that to the activities in the lab, which Stapleton describes as ranging from stem cell research to trying to cure the common cold. Of course, we in the real world refer to it as the evil and unnecessary practice of vivisection.

It seems more and more likely that the hound that attacked Henry’s father must have escaped from the lab but the duo have no more time to investigate as Mycroft’s access card soon fails and they narrowly escape the facility with the help of kind Dr Frankland.

Of course, night must fall and with nightfall comes a visit to the scene of the attack on Henry’s father twenty years previously. In one of the eeriest scenes I have seen in ages, Holmes encounters the great hound, or does he? We never actually see the beast and Sherlock can’t quite believe what his eyes are telling him. The scene is competed with strange noises, howling wolves and dripping water and I wasn’t sure whether to perch on the edge of my seat or dive behind my sofa. This is classic horror story stuff.

Later in the evening, Watson tries to speak to a visibly shaken Holmes (well, visible to the audience, Watson doesn’t seem to notice at first). Could it be that Holmes is actually scared? Perhaps, but it is more likely that he is trying to get to the bottom of his experiences.

So, without giving too much of the plot away, let’s talk about what I liked about this episode, because there was so much to like!

There was absolutely stunning cinematography in this episode with the vast landscapes and sweeping vistas of the moors of Dartmoor. Once again, I loved the score and will definitely be buying the soundtrack when it is released later this month. I quite liked the West Country accents and I also really enjoyed seeing Gordon Kennedy as the restaurateur Gary.

Watson: “Why would you listen to me, I’m just your friend”
Holmes: “I don’t have friends”
Watson (frown): “Wonder why?”

I loved the scene where Holmes snaps at Watson, telling him he doesn’t have friends, with the word sliding off his tongue in disgust. It was great that Watson stood his ground and walked away and that Holmes had to eventually admit to him that he has but one friend.

I am a massive fan of Rupert Graves so, as always, I loved seeing DI Lestrade in this episode, especially as he had a rather fetching suntan.

Russell Tovey was fantastic as Henry Knight, which is no surprise really as he is a fantastic actor. Henry was at the edge of his sanity, a whisper away from becoming completely unhinged and Tovey totally owned the role.

My favourite part of the entire episode was the Mind Palace and I loved the way it was filmed. It is the kind of thing you wished you saw more often but I imagine that it could never be quite as perfect as this moment. I also loved the scene towards the end with the gas mask, but then I always find gas masks specifically terrifying, for some reason.

You might be mistaken for thinking that I loved the whole episode so I am pleased to admit that I didn’t like quite a huge part of it. I really didn’t like the sensory overload in the scene in the lab, with Watson (and the audience) being scared out of his wits. The lights and sounds were too much for me and I thought to myself, “apart from scaring the pants off the audience, what is the point of this”. I hadn’t liked the scene with the lights in Henry’s garden, either. It occurred to me midway that that the slasher pic scare tactics had better have a decent function because it felt like lazy writing to me.

Well, I wholeheartedly apologise to Mark Gatiss for even thinking that way because when the big reveal happened at the end of the episode, it all made perfect sense. The terror within me and my ravaging heart was all worth it and as a former psychology student, I just loved the idea of conditioned terror.

And how that concept was manipulated within the episode and by the production team! For nothing was as terrifying as that final scene with Moriarty! I really cannot wait to see next week’s final episode, “The Reichenbach Fall”.

Promo photos for BBC’s Sherlock – “The Hounds of Baskerville”

BBC's Being Human Returns for a Fourth Season

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:15:09 PST

Warning: Spoilers below for Being Human season 3 and 4!!

BBC's hit supernatural drama Being Human is finally back for a fourth season this month but there are some shocking cast changes! We already knew that Aidan Turner (who plays John Mitchell) was leaving the cast due to landing a part in The Hobbit. The final episode of season 3 was heartbreaking and an absolute shock. For once, I did not receive any spoilers and I had no idea that Aidan was leaving! I literally cried out loud and screamed at the television when Mitchell was killed, I really wasn't expecting that! (Note to partners: it really isn't nice or a good idea to laugh at your partner when they are in that state).

What I didn't expect was the news that Sinead Keenan had decided to leave the cast too and won't be returning at all for season 4. When things couldn't seem more bleak, Russell Tovey (who plays George Sands) then announced that season 4 would be his last. Writer and executive producer Toby Whithouse had this to say of the challenges facing the show:

But once we’d stopped rocking and shaking, we saw Series 4 as an opportunity: we could invent new characters, expand the show in different directions, create new worlds and monsters and heroes, and add new layers to the overarching Being Human mythology. Suddenly Series 4 was a genuinely thrilling prospect.

I have to admit that I don't think the writers and producers have ever set a foot wrong with this show and every, single episode has been a hit. More than that, the actors, music, camera work, wardrobe, sets and supporting actors were a perfect package that drew viewers in week after week as we devoured each episode with gusto. I have no doubt that they will rise to the challenge and that this season will be incredible.

So what can we expect from season 4? Lenora Crichlow will remain as Annie, the ghost who remained on the human plain when she was murdered by her fiance.

Damien Molony joins the cast as Hal, a vampire who has been around for over 500 years. Although he has been "clean" since meeting his friends Leo (a werewolf) and Pearl (a ghost) in 1955, Hal's every moment is ruled by the desire for blood and carnage.

Michael Socha (brother of Misfits star Lauren Socha) moved from semi-regular to lead this season (yay!) in his role as werewolf Tom. Tom has to learn to live, love and fight like a human and Toby Whithouse promises "Michael will break your heart this year"! I can't wait. I really love Michael Socha and definitely think he is an actor to watch over the next couple of years. I am sure that he will make this role his own.

All signs seem to indicate that George Sands is not doing well. In essence, the whole concept of 'being human' hinged on George and his desire to retain his humanity despite being afflicted with the curse. He absolutely depended on Annie and Mitchell to hold on tight to the last remnants of human self and to retain order. That all ended with the death of Mitchell and now he is truly devastated. I fully expect George's storylines to be the darkest they have ever been this season.

And what else? Toby Whithouse tells us that this year Being Human will introduce us to a new type of supernatural creature, which I am VERY much looking forward to! We can look forward to guest appearances from Alex Jennings, Mark Gatiss, James Lance, Mark Williams, Amanda Abbingdon, Craig Roberts (reprising his role as teenage vampire Adam), Selina Griffiths and Ellie Kendrick. Finally, Toby promises that this year there is a genuinely shocking death and the audience will be transported to somewhere we’ve never been to before.

I cannot wait - how about you?

All images © BBC / Touchpaper

TV Review: Merlin – “The Darkest Hour, Part 1”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:15:39 PST

It is indeed the darkest hour in the kingdom of Camelot. King Uther Pendragon (Anthony Head) is a shadow of his former self, debilitated by the betrayal of his ward, the Lady Morgana. A year has now passed since he learned of her betrayal and Morgana (Katie McGrath) takes a dying Morgause on her final journey to the Isle of the Blessed.

It is Samhain’s Eve, the time of year when the veil between the realms of life and death is at its thinnest, when we feel the closest to the spirits of our ancestors. In the castle, Prince Arthur (Bradley James) and his court celebrate Samhain, while Morgana and Morgause arrive at the Isle of the Blessed. As Morgana plunges a blade through Morgause’s heart, the Cailleach appears before Merlin, summoning him three times using his name Emrys.

Click on all images for full resolutions

The Cailleach then appears before Morgana, telling her that she is the gatekeeper to the spirit world. Morgana’s action has torn the veil between the words, unleashing The Dorocha, “the numberless voices of the dead”, upon the world. The Cailleach warns Morgana of the one they call Emrys, the one who will walk in Morgana’s shadow. She tells her that Emrys is her destiny and her doom.

Reports filter in to the castle of formless spirits or shadow people attacking villages, spurring Arthur and his knights to venture out to confront the threat. Gaius remarks that no mortal has ever survived an attack by a Dorocha.

It is clear from this moment in the episode that Merlin has entered a darker, more gruesome phase in the series. The colours are muted with scenes filmed in twilight shades of blue and grey. There are strange, frightening sounds and the episode is quite literally terrifying.

The levity still appears in places but for the most part, the mood is sombre and the characters enter a new level of depth and maturity.

Merlin and Arthur admit their fear but that is nothing compared to the ice, cold fear that the audience is experiencing at this point. Arthur learns that he will need to repair the tear in the veil by giving another blood sacrifice and he prepares to lay down his life in order the save the people of Camelot.

Meanwhile, we learn the full extent of Morgana’s treacherous intentions and we find out that Arthur’s uncle, Lord Agravaine, isn’t far behind her.

“The Darkest Hour” is a two-part episode and it is no surprise that this episode ends in a cliff-hanger. The last couple of moments are absolutely chilling and Merlin is faced with his greatest test yet as he proves just what he will give to protect Arthur. I can barely wait for the next episode!

BBC’s Merlin Returns to US Screens Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:17:28 PST

Angel Coulby is Gwen, Bradley James is Arthur, Colin Morgan is Merlin, Katie McGrath is Morgana and Anthony Head is Uther Pendragon

US viewers can finally catch up with season four of the hit BBC series Merlin. The fourth season of Merlin begins airing in the United States tonight on Syfy channel and I absolutely recommend that you catch it if you have not done so already. Of course, I am not entirely objective because Merlin is my favourite show, adored even more than Doctor Who but perhaps not as much as Charmed and The O.C.

The fourth season was absolutely incredible. I love the first three seasons with the light-hearted tone and the antics of young Merlin and Prince Arthur. The fourth season is far darker in tone as Merlin matures into a force to be reckoned with, Arthur begins his journey to become the great king he is destined to become and Morgana descends into the depths of corruption and vengeance. This is the season where the show finally collides with classical King Arthur canon.

It takes a lot of time and dedication to review a full TV series which is why I don’t do it often. What seems like fun at the beginning of the season feels like a chore two months down the line. But when you love a show enough to watch the entire season twice, back to back, I guess it is a sign that you need to share that love! I apologise in advance if I lose steam by mid-February!

Rupert Young is Sir Leon, Eoin Macken is Sir Gwaine, Santiago Cabrera is Sir Lancelot, Bradley James is King Arthur, Adetomiwa Edun is Sir Elyan and Tom Hopper is Sir Percival

The Hunger Games: Character Posters

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:45:24 PST

Have you ever picked up a book that was so good, you wished you’d paid attention the first time it was recommended to you? That is what happened to me recently when I read the first instalment of the the massive Suzanne Collins trilogy. I tore through The Hunger Games and enjoyed every, single page of the book. Suffice to say, I am now a massive fan and cannot wait for the film release on 23 March 2012. I’ll be updating with all the news, stills and trailer I can find over the next coming weeks.

Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss Everdeen. There was a lot of controversy surrounding the casting of this virtually unknown actress, especially in light of the fact that a Caucasian actress was cast in the role of what was perceived by many to be a mixed race character.

Jennifer is the main character, a 16-year-old girl who volunteers to fight to the death in the annual Hunger Games in order to save her sister Prim from having to take part.

Two tributes are drawn from each of the 12 districts of Panem, the country that rises out of the smouldering remains of North America following years of famine, war, drought and fire. The annual Hunger Games are a reminder to the citizens of the twelve districts of Panem of the consequences of rising up against the Capitol. Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are Alright) plays Peeta Mellark, the second tribute chosen to representDistrict 12. Katniss and Peeta must eventually fight to the death but first, they must try to survive.

Liam Hemsworth (The Elephant Princess) plays the role of Gale Hawthorne, Katniss’s best friend and fellow hunter. Rue is the female district 11 tribute who forms a relationship with Katniss in the arena. Rue is played by Amandla Stenberg.

Alexander Ludwig (Race to Witch Mountain) plays the despicable Cato, the tribute from District 2 and Elizabeth Banks (Scrubs) is the equally despicable Effie Trinket, the Capitol representative chosen to escort the District 12 tributes to the games.

Rock legend Lenny Kravitz plays Cinna, the stylist that becomes Katniss’s trusted friend and confidant. Woody Harrelson plays Haymitch Abernathy, the former district 12 tribute and winner of the 50th Hunger Games who escorts the tributes to the games.

I cannot wait! My only question is whether I should re-read The Hunger Games (an honour reserved for my favourite books) or move on the the sequels?

Book Review: Lolly Luck by Ellie Daines

noreply@blogger.com (Emm) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:11:30 PST

Lolly Luck is lucky by name, lucky by nature. She’s the type of girl who always wins prizes at the fun fair and it might be worth asking her to guess this week’s winning lottery numbers too. When Lolly returns home on her 11th birthday to discover that her father has lost his job, it seems that Lolly’s lucky streak has finally run out.

Lolly Luck is the debut novel by Ellie Daines and is written for children aged 9 and over. Set in suburban England, it follows the reactions of Lolly and her family as they come to terms with her father’s redundancy and the subsequent loss of the family home. In the midst of this chaos, Lolly overhears her parents arguing one evening and learns a secret that will change all of their lives for ever.

Books like Lolly Luck can be important tools in helping children comes to terms with difficult circumstances. Lolly is a strong character and her reactions to her plight are believable and endearing. There are strong themes in the book such bullying, honesty, integrity and the importance of family relationships and, again, these are approached in a realistic manner by the author. This is also a story of personal growth and development as we witness Lolly emerge from a privileged, rather sheltered life as the youngest child in the family to become a more responsible and considerate child.

One of the strongest aspects of Lolly Luck is the focus on extended and atypical family structures. It would be difficult to elaborate without giving away too much of the story but a strong theme in the book is adapting to changing family circumstances. It is interesting to learn about the dynamics and culture of the family too, especially the judgement of Lolly’s father by her mother’s St Lucian family despite the fact that they are carrying a deep secret.

I felt that the narrative faltered somewhat in the approach to the concept of luck. It was stressed throughout the book that people aren’t born lucky, that they make their own luck. While the main aspects of the story were resolved in the end and Lolly did grow as an individual, this did seem to be more due to fortunate circumstances than the actions of the characters in the story. I felt that the book was missing a truly strong adult character who was both a good role model and a mentor. Two of Lolly’s teachers showed kindness and loyalty towards her but I feel that ultimately the message could have been delivered better with the presence of such a character.

Despite this single reservation, I would recommend Lolly Luck and believe it could be a valuable discussion tool in approaching themes of diversity, integrity, bullying and, of course, adversity and changing family circumstances. The book is published on the Random House imprint Andersen Press and is available January 5, 2012 in the UK and February 28, 2012 in the US.

I give Lolly Luck 3.5 stars out of 5.

Buy Lolly Luck at Amazon.co.uk ¦ Amazon.com

Article first published as Book Review: Lolly Luck by Ellie Daines on Blogcritics.

A copy of this book was provided to me for the purposes of this review and all opinions contain herein are my own. This review contains affiliate links.

TV Review: Sherlock – “A Scandal in Belgravia”

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:44:57 PST

The BBC’s Sherlock has finally returned to our television screens for a second series. The series will consist of three 90-minute episodes to be shown over the next three weeks. “A Scandal in Belgravia” is a modern take on on Arthur Conan Doyle’s short story “A Scandal in Bohemia” which was the first of his short stories to appear in The Strand Magazine.

From the BBC Sherlock website:

A case of blackmail threatens to topple the monarchy itself, but soon Sherlock and John discover there is even more to it than that. They find themselves battling international terrorism, rogue CIA agents, and a secret conspiracy involving the British government.

But this case will cast a longer shadow on their lives than they could ever imagine, as the great detective begins a long duel of wits with an antagonist as cold and ruthless and brilliant as himself: Irene Adler.

“A Scandal in Belgravia” begins where “The Great Game”, the final episode of the previous season ended. Holmes and Watson are in the midst of a deliciously wicked showdown with the deranged “consultant criminal” Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) when Moriarty receives a phone call that postpones an almost certainly explosive situation. A couple of seconds of hilarity follow when Moriarty apologises for taking the call:

Moriarty: “Sorry”
Holmes (nose wrinkle): “It’s fine”

Moriarty’s reaction to the news that he hears is chilling, supremely disturbing but Holmes and Watson live to see another day. I think I might like this particular portrayal of the arch villain Moriarty.

The phone call appears to come from none other than Irene Adler (Lara Pulver), dominatrix to the rich and famous, but more about her later.

After a series of cases that allude to the classic Arthur Conan Doyle tales (The Geek Interpreter and The Speckled Blonde), we finally land upon a case in which the great Sherlock Holmes is baffled. Shortly after that, Holmes is disturbed in the middle of a case involving a backfiring car exhaust as he and Watson are summoned to Buckingham Palace, of all places.

Irreverent as always, Holmes refuses to get dressed, causing his brother Mycroft to despair.

Mycroft Holmes: "We are in Buckingham Palace, the very heart of the British nation - Sherlock Holmes, put your trousers on."

It seems that Irene Adler has obtained a series of compromising photographs of her and a certain royal lady. Naturally, Holmes is not interested in the case until something about Adler and her search for power intrigues him.

There is so much to like about this episode. I am not a fan of Irene Pulver, having detested her turn as Isabella in Robin Hood and not quite liking Erin Watts in Spooks. In Sherlock, I thought she was cast perfectly and I really enjoyed her portrayal as “The Woman”, she who confounds Sherlock Holmes.

As always, I enjoyed the wit and humour of the script, loved the idea that John Watson maintains a blog and was thrilled to see the inclusion of Holmes’s famous hat. I was especially impressed by the beautiful score and am pleased to see that the BBC Sherlock Original Television Soundtrack will be released at the end of January. If the soundtrack includes the moving and haunting refrain that played throughout this episode, I will certainly be buying it.

There was quite a storm across the Internet and on Twitter about the perceived sexism in this episode and the portrayal of Irene Adler. While I hold no illusions regarding Steven Moffat’s deep-seated hatred of women, I somewhat disagree with the notion that she is reduced to a damsel in distress in this episode.

Firstly, let us not forget that it is Adler herself who “saves” Holmes and Watson in the opening scenes of the episode and Watson spends much of his life cleaning up after Holmes. In fact, if anyone requires saving in “A Scandal in Belgravia”, it is Sherlock Holmes himself.

Holmes has built his entire identity on his ability to read people and to reach the bottom of any conundrum through his impressive powers of deduction and observation. When he fails in this and ultimately loses Irene due to his failure, he is plunged into a state of crisis and his very sense of self is challenged.

It is more than that though. Sherlock’s addictive personality is alluded to throughout the episode and John Watson knows exactly where Sherlock is headed when he enquires about his smoking. Sherlock plunges into several months of violin-playing obsession and self-reflection, as evidenced by the gap in cases on John Watson's blog.

Indeed, Sherlock himself is not able to pull himself out of his funk. Months down the line, it is only the fact that Irene is alive and well that spurs him in to action again. Perhaps there is just something in this portrayal of Holmes on an emotional, self-destructive spiral that resonates with me, the knowledge that as an addict, he could very well let his entire business fail while he sinks. Given his state of mind, there was no possibility of the men rushing in and saving the day, in my humble opinion.

I think the proof is in the final scenes. The look on Irene Adler’s face was not one of “oh, thank goodness, my knight in shining armour, you have saved me!”. Instead, it was simply an acknowledgement, a hint of “you got my messages”. It seemed that everything happened exactly as Irene had planned and that her pursuit of the game had been fulfilled.

There were, of course, parts of “A Scandal in Belgravia” that I did not like and most of them had to do with the final 15 minutes of the episode.

I knew that Irene was working with Moriarty, I thought it was obvious from the opening scenes. What I didn’t like was the idea that Irene was working with Mycroft (which I deduced from her appearance on the plane) as this seemed like an unforgiveable betrayal to me. Then again, she did put Mycroft in his place after the plane scene, so perhaps I deduced incorrectly? I also didn’t like the idea of the “plane of the dead”, the notion that blowing up the dead was morally okay, seeing as it saved innocent lives. But perhaps that was the point? Sherlock completely scuppered those plans.

All told, I loved this episode and I can hardly wait until next Sunday’s episode, “The Hounds of Baskerville”. This one is written by Mark Gatiss, so perhaps we can expect greater things?

Promo photos for BBC’s Sherlock – “A Scandal in Belgravia”

Marvel Release New "The Avengers" Banners

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 06:45:55 PST

I have been eagerly following news of the upcoming release of Marvel’s The Avengers for some time. This is quite an ambitious project, drawing together the massively popular storylines from the Iron Man films, as well as The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America and judging from the teaser trailers, it is going to be amazing.

Of course, considering my proclivity for dark, twisted characters and villains, I am especially looking forward to seeing the return of Tom Hiddleston as Loki. I am also hoping for some serious screen time for Jeremy Renner in his role as Hawkeye.

The Avengers has an all-star cast and is directed by Joss Whedon. The film stars Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton / Hawkeye and Samuel L. Jackson as S.H.I.E.L.D director Nick Fury.

Featuring the Super Hero team of a lifetime, The Avengers is based on the Marvel comic book series of the same name that was first published in 1963. In the film, the team has to pull the world back from the brink of disaster as an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security.

The Avengers is due for release in the UK on 27 April 2012.

Official The Avengers Website

The Avengers Facebook page

Marvel UK YouTube channel

Click on the images above for high resolution images.

Music Video: “A Forest” (Bestival Live 2011) – The Cure

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:04:52 PST

Wow. There are some concerts that will go down in history as iconic moments in musical history and surely The Cure's appearance at Bestival 2011 will be one of those performances. Of course, the heart-breaking fact is that I wasn’t there. I was so disappointed by Faith No More’s performance at Exit Festival 2010 that I decided not to attend Bestival 2011, even though two of my favourite bands of all time were performing there: The Cure and Cranes. Maybe it was because two of my favourite bands were performing there. I would rather have remembered The Cure as they were at the height of their career in 1995, when I watched them from my front row place at Glastonbury Festival, then watch a train wreck in motion (I’m talking to you, Mike Patton).

Well, the good news for fans around the world is that The Cure were absolutely brilliant at Bestival 2011 and they had so much fun that they have recently released a new double album Bestival Live 2011 featuring a whopping 32 career-spanning tracks. In the words of the legendary Robert Smith, “We had such a great time in the Isle of Wight at Bestival that we wanted to release this show as a way of thanking fans and islanders alike. Bestival is the best!”

Today, the band is premiering the live video for “A Forest”, one of my favourite The Cure tracks of all time. I was blown away by the quality of the sound and the strength of Robert Smith’s vocals. To be honest, the band don’t look much older than when I saw them 16 years ago which goes to show that boys don’t cry but they don’t exactly grow up either. What do you think of the video below?

Damn! It doesn't look like they're releasing the concert on DVD or Blu-ray. I haven't bought a live DVD for years but this is definitely one that I would buy.

Bestival is held each year in the Isle of Wight and all proceeds from album sales benefit a local charity, the Isle of Wight Youth Trust. This organisation offers counselling, advice, information and support services to young people under the age of 25 and they make a massive contribution to the wellbeing of local residents.

Bye bye CDs, digital is really here

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:29:43 PST

When was the last time you bought an actual CD? Chances are, you probably can’t remember. Now that music has gone digital, there’s almost no reason to bother with delicate discs and clumsy cases just to hear your favourite tunes because you can get new music instantly at the click of a button.

If you’re still making the full transition to digital, though, you probably have a few discs still lying around. Throwing them away is wasteful when there’s someone who is probably looking for the same thing you’re tossing out, and they take forever to breakdown in a landfill. A better and more environmentally friendly way to get rid of unwanted CDs is to sell them. And did we mention it was profitable?

Making your CDs like new

The most important thing you will want to do before selling is to give your CDs a little facelift. Over the years, it can be easy to acquire scratched CD surfaces, cracked cases and album artwork in less than mint condition. Luckily, though, these problems have quick fixes.

You should gently clean CD surfaces with a cloth made of microfiber to remove dirt and dust. For the most effective results, you may also want to spray it with a bit of a cleaning solution meant for eyeglasses. If your CD is unreadable, search for scratches on the surface. Most times, faint scratches won’t harm the playback quality of your music, but deep ones can lead to music that skips, which renders your CD not so profitable. If you do have problematic scratches, you can purchase a kit that helps remove them, but this may defeat the purpose of selling your CDs for money, depending on how many you have to sell. If you can’t make a profit off of your CDs after buying a kit for cleaning scratches, there are a few tried and true home remedies, such as toothpaste, car wax or metal polish.

Next, make sure the cases for your CDs are intact. If the case doesn’t open and close properly or has cracks, replace it. You can use cases from newer CDs if you just pop out the artwork and replace it with the back cover from the CD that you intend to sell. If you don’t have any cases readily available, you can purchase standard jewel cases for a relatively cheap price.

Selling your CDs

Once you have your CDs organised and looking like new, you could take them to a record store and sell them in person. However, selling CDs online has become an increasingly popular trend that could get you the same amount of money (or even more) for less effort. You could use an online retail site like Amazon or an auctioning site like eBay to make your sales, or you could make it even easier with a service that purchases only CDs and other forms of entertainment. Unlike the traditional online methods of selling CDs, going to one of these sites, such as MusicMagpie, allows you to sell all of your CDs at once to a company that will pay for the postage.

Once you get rid of all of your CDs, you can also consider downloading your DVDs to a hard drive and selling those using the same methods. And if you’re looking for a way to get new video games, you can “recycle” your old ones before buying the latest version. After all, everything is going digital these days, so why shouldn’t you?

Long time followers of this blog will know that I am absolutely thrilled with the digital age and am only too happy to get rid of my CDs. This is a sponsored post by MusicMagpie to show readers how to make money from your old CD collection.

The Amazing Spider-Man Poster is Revealed

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:25:59 PST

Thanks to SuperheroHype, we got an early look at the first official poster for The Amazing Spider-Man, starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and it definitely has a mysterious vibe. If this image is any clue, we're in for a darker (perhaps creepier) Spidey tale than we've ever seen before.

Two things are worth noting with this poster - first, there's no Spidey logo or title (besides the shadow), which is an interesting choice. Just guessing, but apparently Sony Pictures believes the spider shadow alone is so recognizable that a title is unnecessary - after all, everybody knows who Spidey is, right?

Second cool thing about this poster are the words "the untold story". Again, I'm speculating here, but I think that's referring to the story of how Peter Parker was orphaned and wound up being cared for by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. I'm not being a spoiler, because the trailer that was released months ago hints at that in the first few seconds. (see below) We already know that Richard and Mary Parker (Peter's parents) will appear in the movie, so I'll wager that their backstory is a big plot element. Think I'm wrong? Let me have it in the comments.

We only have to wait until July 13 to find out.

This is a guest post by Matthew Killorin of the incredible superhero blog Capes on Film. Visit Matthew's blog for news and reviews of the best comic book and super hero films out there.

What Is Apple’s iTunes Match and How Will It Change Online Music?

noreply@blogger.com (Emm) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:10:39 PST

Guest post written by Frank Anderson

After much anticipation from music lovers who think they’ve seen it all – or in this case, heard it all – iTunes Match may be unlike anything you’re used to. This cloud storage device for your music library allows you access to your music collection on any computer that has iTunes installed on it.

iTunes Match is actually a part of the iCloud storage service from Apple. This service is the one that backs up all of the music that is stored in your iTunes library. Match can offer a great solution that is built into the iTunes app on both PCs and Macs, as well as on iOS devices.

Apple’s iTunes Match also actually gives you the benefits of iTunes in the Cloud for music that you haven’t even purchased from iTunes. With this new system, music that is already in your collection and is also available in the iTunes store is automatically added to iCloud. Now the only thing you need to upload are the songs that iTunes isn’t able to match.

How Does It Work?

The initial set up phase for iTunes Match is a three step process. Prior to set up, you will need to be sure that you have the correct iTunes version and then confirm the charge. After that, setting up via iTunes only entails:

Collecting the information available regarding your personal iTunes music library
Going through the iTunes store and matching up your music
Uploading any remaining songs, as well as album art (if applicable)

The time of uploading will depend on a couple of factors, including your internet connection as well as the length and bit rate of the songs that you have stored. Once complete, iTunes will give you the number of songs that matched up from iTunes and your collection.

With Apple’s iTunes Match, all you will ever need to upload now are the songs that iTunes is unable to match. This alone can save lots of time. The rest is already done for you. And, with iCloud, new purchases can automatically be downloaded to any of your devices via 3G or Wi-Fi.

In fact, using iTunes Match, even songs that you’ve imported from CDs or purchased from somewhere else may be stored in iCloud – allowing you to listen on any iPod touch, iPad, iPhone, Mac, or PC – regardless of where you are, without the need to sync. On top of that, the newly downloaded songs from other sources may even be added at a better quality than you previously had.

Changing the Way You’re Entertained

In addition to the iTunes Match music capabilities, you can also download TV shows that you’ve already purchased to all of your devices as well. And, because you already own both the music and TV shows in your purchase history, you will also have the ability to download these to a variety of devices too!

With over 20 million songs available in the iTunes store, chances are that the songs you like – and have – are also already in the Cloud. And at only $24.99 per year, you now have access to unlimited playback and storage. This should keep you singing for a while!

Frank Anderson writes about all things technology and Internet. He also helps maintain the web presence of web hosting.

Interview: The Suicide of Western Culture Talk Festivals, Meaning and Tours

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:30:01 PST

Earlier in the month, we brought you the news that Spanish duo The Suicide of Western Culture were releasing their new album Remixes and offering a free download of “This Is The Last Time I Shake Your Hand”. I caught up with them to discuss the best summer festivals, the meaning of their name and their upcoming tour. By the end of the interview I wasn’t surprised that the secretive duo never did tell me their names!

First, can you tell me a bit about who you are and how you met?

We're two guys from the Barcelona outskirts. In our place most of the people spend their time with car tuning, dog fighting, watching football games in the bar... Those who make different things we know each other.

When did you realise you wanted to record music together?

There was some affinity. Our idea was 'do not dump it, we'll try to make a song'.

I love your name, The Suicide of Western Culture. Can you tell me about why you chose that name and what it means?

I was in a club. Glowing lights, house music, drugs, girls shaking their asses... I was lucid for a second and I thought that Europe was lost.

Can you tell me about your song-writing process and how you go about recording tracks?

It's a 2-step process. First, we work with the machines, just machines. We don't like software, we just love touching what we use, knobs, keys and so. We work with them to get the sounds we like. Then, we sequence them to make our songs. It's always fast. We don't spend too many time with one song. Whenever we find something exciting we just go for it.

What are your worst habits when it comes to your music?

We're not perfectionists. We're very messy and chaotic. But that might be something good, actually.

Where do you gain your inspiration for your music? Are your tracks snapshots of moments, events and emotions or do you try to convey deeper meaning.

That's it! We get inspired by films, commercials, something that might happen at a train station, a landscape, a moment, something we hate or something we love.

My favourite track is from your debut album and is "The End of Luxury". Can you tell me a bit more about the track?

It just came up swiftly, as any other song. In this case, we think we're not in a global crisis situation, but in some kind of twist. Everything is going to change. Nothing will be as it was before. Inequality would increase in the West and I don't think we'll get the newest iPhone every year. They'll have to make better batteries.

You played a series of festivals this summer. What was your absolute favourite festival moment this summer?

We have very good memories of all of them. No bad experience at all. Well, the police stopped a couple of our gigs because of the volume and then we got fined after a summer festival. If I have to chose a concert, I'd say the one at Frannz Club at the Berlin Music Week. It was great.

What is the best venue to play?

It seems that in Central and Northern Europe they do care about the sound and the stage conditions.

Which festival has the best crowd?

We're not a band for the masses and the people that come to see us is very devoted. They know what they're going to see. You find good crowds everywhere - some are quieter, others are louder, but they're always great.

Which festival would you like to play at that you haven't played at yet?

Abroad. We'd love to play anywhere outside Spain.

Can you tell me a bit more about your plans to tour the United States? Where do you want to play and what do you want do see while you're there?

We'll be playing at SXSW festival as much as we can. Then we'll tour in small venues. We'll work hard!

Are you currently working on new material?

We're working on the sounds, recording and playing around with our Casio keyboards, drum machines and some second hand synths we recently bought. Everything will be transferred into our MPC units and we'll spend a couple of days in Berlin recording album 2 in a Berlin hostel. That's our formula. No producers, no studios.

What do you do when you're not recording, practicing or performing? Are you at the stage where your music is supporting you?

Drinking beer at our local bar, walking the dog, taking photographs, cooking paellas, working... At the current time, we feel the need of making music. If not, it would be like being dead.

Do you have any upcoming tour dates?

We'll shortly announce some dates in Spain, Europe and then in the US for 2012.

Thank you for a killer interview! I hope to catch you on the festival circuit this summer.

Article first published as Interview: The Suicide of Western Culture Talk Festivals, Meaning and Tours on Blogcritics.

Beating the Festival Travel Blues with Social Travel

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:07:49 PST

The year was 1995. My best friend and I had travelled to England and it was going to be a summer of festivals and concerts as we tore up the London scene and went to Glastonbury and Reading festivals. I’ll never forget that summer and we saw some of the biggest artists of all time including The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, PJ Harvey, Oasis, Live and Björk .

It was a dream for us coming from South Africa, a musical desert wasteland visited by only the dregs of the international music scene, a country where international bands only visit if they are dead or dying. We saw over 50 bands that summer and that is what I’ll always remember.

Of course, try as I might, it would be nearly impossible to forget the coach ride to Glastonbury where we stood for two hours on the trip down from London and were dropped about 3 miles away from the campsite. Walking for over 45 minutes with a massive backpack on your back? Not so much fun.

Or the time after Reading festival when we’d caught something seriously dodgy from the overflowing portaloos and there was no toilet on the coach back to London? I was the lucky one because I got to spend the next week on a sofa in my aunt’s house as the effects of the portaloo plague worked their way through my body. My friend was not so lucky. Once we got off the coach from Reading, she immediately boarded an overnight coach to Amsterdam and spent much of the time in the on-board toilets. I just feel so very sorry for the people that had to travel with her!

The truth is that travelling by coach is never really all that pleasant and if you have to deal with overcrowding, delays or sick fellow passengers, it is especially horrible. Trains aren’t much better, as I learned the other day when I tried to travel up to Liverpool on a Friday night. Purgatory can’t look much different to Euston Rail Station on a Friday night, I am sure of it.

There is no doubt in my mind that I would never travel by coach again and I would choose rail journeys very carefully. This is extremely relevant now as I want to travel to festivals next year and I will avoid coaches at all costs.

That is why I have been so interested in the launch of a new social travel sharing site BlablaCar.com. Based on similar, successful sites in France and Spain, BlablaCar pairs drivers with empty seats with passengers looking for a ride. It is a great way to save costs, meet new people and contribute towards saving the environment by putting fewer cars on the road. Most importantly, it is safer than travelling with strangers. BlablaCar have implemented a contact number verification system that will verify user’s mobile numbers and the social aspects of the site mean moderators can blacklist people who don’t share carpooling values.

See the video below for more information on how BlablaCar works.

Anybody can use BlablaCar and the service is free to use. Of course, there is no doubt that the service is especially useful for students and BlablaCar is now launching on university campuses across the country. Over 40 campuses in the UK have their own dedicated Campus website linking up university town drivers and passengers heading in the same direction.

To mark the launch, BlablaCar are hosting a competition to search for the most ‘car considerate’ university and they are offering a prize of £3,000 to the university club that is the most active on the site. Interested clubs can email campus@blablacar.com to request an information pack. Check out the Campus website here.

Disclaimer: This is a Sponsored Post but all opinions and troublesome memories of traumatic bus rides are my own.

Music Video: Kaizers Orchestra – “Tusen dråper regn” (live)

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:07:00 PST

I had the strangest feeling this week that I might never listen to another English speaking band again. It was the week that I finally got hold of the new Kaizers Orchestra (Norway) album Violeta Violeta vol. II and but I also spent the week listening to Korpiklaani (Finland) and Heavenwood (Portugal). Of course, the band I listen to the most, officially my favourite band of all time, is Croatian band Kawasaki 3P. There is just so much the world has to offer if you can transcend language boundaries in music.

Back to Kaizers Orchestra. I have a slight crush on the lead singer Janove Ottesen and would very much like him wrapped up under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. It doesn’t look like they have released any official videos from their latest album yet, but I found this video of their live performance of “Tusen dråper regn” at Øya Festivalen 2011.

I just love the drums during the introduction and the looks on the drummers’ faces. They went from really serious to really awed to be there on stage with Kaizers Orchestra!

The title translates to “a thousand drops of rain” and you can check out the English lyrics.

Download: The Phenomenal Handclap Band - "Following"

noreply@blogger.com (The Media Addict) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:11:22 PST

When I first encountered The Phenomenal Handclap Band, I wasn’t too sure what to expect but I was certainly intrigued by their name. Described as a psych-soul band and a “tight-knit aggregation of musicians and artists from Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn”, I was immediately put in mind of the 1960s experimental band The United States of America.

Their eponymous debut album was a collection of funky, psychedelic tracks with pop anthem “15 to 20” earning them the most success. I had always held a fascination for the music and culture of the 1960s and I appreciated that The Phenomenal Handclap Band could pay tribute to that sound while remaining fresh and current.

It was the powerful old school soul track “Baby” featuring Tommy Brenneck and Rodrigo Ursaia that caught my attention on the album The Phenomenal Hand Clap Band. This is a beautiful, uplifting track that was followed up with a really good video, featuring stunning retro styling and excellent cinematography.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band was started by New York City underground club DJs Daniel Collás, the Witch Doctor, and Sean Marquand, the Medicine Man. Tired of playing other people’s music, Collás and Marquand had a vision of a supergroup comprised of the best artists from the indie rock and soul underground in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. They have previously worked with Aurelio Valle (Callas), Jaleel Bunton (TV on the Radio), Jon Spencer (Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) and Lady Tigra (L'Trimm).

The band are renowned for their intoxicating live performances and tore up the UK festival scene in 2010 with performances at Glastonbury, Wireless and Latitude. They have most recently supported Bryan Ferry on his North American tour.

Naturally, I was eager when I heard that the band were returning with sophomore album Form & Control in early 2012 and that they had dropped the first single. I listened to “Following” and it would be an understatement to say that I was surprised. I don’t think it would be possible for any track to represent a further departure from the sounds of the debut album than “Following” does.

Whereas the debut was a perfect example of funk and soul, “Following” is a progressive, indie electronic track that would make Ladytron proud. And I love it. I cannot stop listening to it and since first downloading it earlier tonight, I’ve listened to it 16 times and counting.

It makes perfect sense to me now why new wave master Bryan Ferry chose the band to support him in his US tour in September and October, given their updated, electronic sound. I wouldn’t have expected to, but I really like this departure in style and I am eagerly awaiting the full album.

To mark the upcoming release of Form & Control, The Phenomenal Handclap Band are offering a free download of the track:

“Following” (mp3*)

In the meantime, you can keep up to date with The Phenomenal Handclap Band on their website, Facebook or Twitter.

You can buy their music at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

Article first published as The Phenomenal Handclap Band Diversifies with New Single, Offers Free Download on Blogcritics.

Music Video: “Face Again” by Mali Woods

noreply@blogger.com (Emm) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:47:46 PST

I received some terribly tragic news today. Mali Woods and her fiancé, producer Moe Johnson committed suicide on the 16th of November. Moe had three children. It is always devastating when young, talented people take their own lives and it usually happens that more questions are raised than answers provided.

I interviewed Mali just a month ago and we chatted about her new album, the Occupy movement and the lengths she went to in order to maintain diversity and equality in her life. It is a very sad day indeed when somebody of that calibre feels that they have reached the end of the world.

You can read the interview here: Singer/Songwriter Mali Woods Talks Music, Diversity And Other Serious Issues.

Book Review: My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent

noreply@blogger.com (Emm) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:03:00 PST

It is difficult enough to forgive the unforgivable but when you're a bean sidhe and that betrayal involves your Demon's Breath-addicted boyfriend enabling a demon to possess your body, it can be especially trying. Kaylee Cavanaugh is just beginning to put the pieces of her life and relationship with Nash back together when she is confronted with her worst nightmare. Literally.

Nash's ex-girlfriend Sabine is back on the scene and she is a mara, the walking nightmare of lore that infuses slumbering humans with bad dreams and feeds off their fears. Sabine makes no secret of the fact that she wants Nash back and not only is she his first love, there is the slight technicality that they never actually broke up in the first place.

When teachers at Eastlake High begin dying in their sleep, Kaylee wastes no time in reaching the conclusion that it is Sabine that is killing them, draining their life energy as she harvests their fears. But can Kaylee put aside her jealousy for long enough to see that Sabine might not be involved and she certainly isn't behind the wave of toxic jealousy that is tearing the school apart?

My Soul to Steal is the fourth book in Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series and it is certainly the best in the series yet. With the scene set and the characters established, My Soul to Steal is non-stop action from the first page. Apart from meeting the mara, we are introduced to more demons, hellions and creatures of the Netherworld creatures including hypnos, who feed from human energy through the barrier between the two realms.

Rachel Vincent steps up her imaginative and disturbing descriptions of the Netherworld and the scenes at the twisted Netherworld version of Eastlake High were fantastic. As I read about the crimson creeper and deformed Netherworld creatures, I couldn't help thinking that this is one series that needs to be brought to life in television or film.

Nash's dead, grim reaper brother Tod played a much greater part in My Soul to Steal, saving the show at the last minute as usual. There is something brewing in his swirling bean sidhe eyes and I can't help but wish that it means that he and Kaylee will become an item in the next book. Not that she seems to notice of course.

Clueless about Tod's intentions or not, I like Kaylee as a protagonist. I like that she had enough self-respect to maintain her distance from Nash because of his betrayal and despite their undeniable mutual love. So many young adult novels feature weak-minded lead female characters and Kaylee Cavanaugh certainly isn’t one of them.

Aside from Tod, the other characters I'd like to receive more attention are Alec and Kaylee's cousin Sophie. Who cares if Alec is technically 40-something? After being held hostage in the Netherworld for 25 years, he has the body and mind of a teenager. Surely he could find a suitable love interest? After everything she has been through, I'd like to see Sophie grow a personality and take a greater role in the books. With her previous forays into the Netherworld, it could make for some interesting plot lines.

I have just realised that My Soul to Steal did not have a preview of the next book in the series, as was the case with the previous three books. Thankfully I can confirm that If I Die, which appears to be the final book in the Soul Screamers series, was released in the US and Canada in September and should be reaching bookshelves in the UK in February 2012. I can hardly wait!

I give My Soul to Steal five out of five stars and wait with bated breath for the next instalment.

Buy My Soul to Steal on Amazon.co.uk ¦ Amazon.com

Article first published as Book Review: My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent on Blogcritics.

A copy of this book was provided to me for the purposes of this review and all opinions contain herein are my own. This review contains affiliate links.